Autoinflammatory diseases (AIDs) include many pediatric multi-systemic diseases, characterized by recurrent inflammatory flare-ups with no apparent triggering factor. Vasculitis is also a rare inflammatory disease in children. The two most common in pediatrics are IgA vasculitis and Kawasaki disease. The latter has many similarities with AIDs, such as the acute nature of the disease which can heal spontaneously, the early age of onset, the clinical symptoms close to Still's disease in children, a biological inflammatory syndrome importance and the recently described role of interleukin 1, a key cytokine in AIDs.
Within the immune diseases and cancer axis of CHU Sainte Justine research centre, there is already basic and translational research centered around innate immunity. In addition and in total adequacy with the theme, and through her clinical and scientific training, Dr. Piram develops clinical and epidemiological research around AIDs and vasculitis. Epidemiology is a crucial discipline for these rare systemic diseases in children, making it possible to better understand their clinical particularities, their fate, the factors associated with their occurrence and their prognosis, and to provide etiological leads. Clinical research, close to the patient, requires the development of valid, reproducible, discriminating and change-sensitive assessment tools measuring the areas that are important for the patient (activity, sequelae, quality of life, etc.) and his family. This is essential in the context of these diseases where there are many therapeutic innovations, essential to advance evaluative research in this area, serving as rigorous response variables to assess the efficacy, safety profile and tolerance of innovative therapies in the context of observational studies or therapeutic trials; these tools will also be used for the longitudinal assessment of patients in clinical practice.
Career Summary
Dr. Piram is a pediatrician specializing in dermatology and rheumatology with a strong interest in pediatric pathologies at the interface between dermatology and rheumatology. She is currently clinical associate professor at the University of Montreal, clinician-researcher FRQS J1 scholarship holder and head of the Pediatric Dermatology Service at the CHU Sainte-Justine.
Dr. Piram completed her medical training at the University of Paris XII and obtained her doctorate in medicine and her specialization in pediatrics at the University François Rabelais in Tours (France) in 2006. She then specialized in pediatric rheumatology (2006-2009) and pediatric dermatology (2010-2011). In addition to her clinical training, Dr. Piram completed a master's degree in public health at Paris XII University, as well as a PhD in public health at Paris-Sud University.
Dr. Piram joined CHU Sainte-Justine research center in 2020. Her research interests focus on epidemiology and clinical research in systemic inflammatory diseases in children, particularly vasculitis and autoinflammatory diseases. Over the years, Dr. Piram has joined international networks of experts in these rare diseases, fostering collaborations in research, teaching and care. She is regularly invited as a speaker at international congresses and is called upon to write or review clinical practice guides such as national diagnostics and care protocols under the aegis of the Haute Autorité de santé (HAS) in France.